Ingredients:
1 box Allan Fruit Buddies Candy Canes
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup softened butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
(Makes about 3 dozen cookies when using 3-inch/8-cm cookie cutters)
To Make:
1. Beat sugar with butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, stir flour with baking powder and salt. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two parts, just until everything is combined.
3. Knead the dough lightly until its smooth. Divide dough into two equal parts and form into disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, about ¼-inch (5 mm) thick. Use a holiday themed cookie cutter to cut out cookies.
MAG TIP! Ask for help before using the oven.
5. Arrange the cookies at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use smaller cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the centres of the cookies, leaving at least ¼-inch (5 mm) borders around the shapes.
MAG TIP! Shapes can also be made with a small knife. Just get an adult to make them for you!
6. Fill the shapes in the cookies with candy cane pieces, making sure not to overfill them because they will melt together. Re-roll the scraps to make more cookies.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies’ edges are golden and the candy centres are evenly melted. Cool cookies completely on the baking sheet before lifting them off.
MAG TIP! Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Ingredients:
1½ sticks unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
3 large eggs
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
½ stick unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
To Make:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
2. Grease a 9 by 13 inch glass baking pan.
3. Stir butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. You can also melt them using a microwave. Set aside when melted.
4. Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the chocolate and butter mixture, flour, salt, vanilla, and peppermint extract, and stir until just blended.
6. Pour batter into glass pan. Smooth out with a spoon or spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool before frosting.
7. For frosting, beat (using electric mixer) powdered sugar, butter, milk, and peppermint extract in bowl until creamy. You may need to add either more butter or powdered sugar to achieve desired texture. Also, you can add a little pink or green food color to make the frosting look mintier.
8. Spread frosting over brownies.
(Recipe Excerpted from p. 156-157 of BAKE SALE, by Sara Varon)